Almanac – The Oxford Middle East Podcast

Oxford University
  • 5.0 (2)
  • EDUCATION

Almanac is a student-run initiative at the University of Oxford. Every two weeks, a number of students sit down for an in-depth discussion about the region which has made history for thousands of years and continues to make headlines today.

  1. 01/17/2023

    Michael Willis on Recent Developments in the Maghreb

    Michael Willis joins Almanac to discuss his new book, Algeria: Politics and Society from the Dark Decade to the Hirak, recent developments in Tunisia and Morocco, and why studying the area “West of Cairo” is of critical importance to Middle East Studies.

    34 min

  2. 10/17/2022

    Albert Hourani’s Impact

    2022 is the 60th anniversary of the publication of Albert Hourani’s magnum opus Arabic Thought in the Liberal Age, 1798-1939. Matthew Smith and Charles Ough sit down with Professor Marilyn Booth, Professor Emeritus Paul Dresch (Albert’s last two DPhil Students), and Professor Eugene Rogan to discuss Albert Hourani the man, the scholar, and the advisor, and his impact on the field of Middle East Studies.

    43 min

  3. 04/20/2022

    Developments in Jordan

    An explanation and discussion of the modern history and recent political developments in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Piotr Schulkes, Guy Fiennes, and Matthew Smith highlight important topics such as Palestinian refugees, the royal family, and the politics of foreign intervention in the Kingdom.

    46 min

  4. 01/17/2022

    2022 New Year’s Episode

    The entire Almanac team gets together to discuss what they believe was the most important event in the region over the past year, something they are watching for in the region in 2022, and their favorite book on the Middle East. People featured: Piotr Schulkes, Guy Fiennes, Isabella Cibelli Du Terroil, Oliver Franks, Kalyani Nedungadi, Matthew Smith, Adam Abdalla

    35 min

  5. 12/17/2021

    Graffiti, music, and football ultras: expressing dissent in MENA (Middle East and North Africa)

    Piotr Schulkes, Adam Abdallah, and Kalyani Nedungadi discuss non-official ways in expressing dissent, comparing Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, and Palestine. They highlight the role of music and graffiti, and the unique position football ultras have in MENA culture.

    49 min

  6. 10/06/2021

    Independence and Colonialism in the Western Sahara

    Piotr Schulkes, Helna Murphy, Hajar Meddah, and Felix Walker discuss the recent development in the Western Sahara, caused by America’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the territory. They give an overview over the area’s history, the foreign actors involved, and what the future might hold

    48 min

  7. 02/22/2021

    History, politics, and Anecdotes with Eugene Rogan

    Piotr Schulkes and Eugene Rogan discuss the importance of history in contemporary Middle Eastern politics, how the West discusses the region, and a number of stories from Rogan’s time at Oxford.

    55 min

  8. 02/09/2021

    Lebanon’s Economic and political crisis

    Piotr Schulkes, Felix Walker, and Michael Memari cover the ongoing crises in Lebanon’s political and economic systems. They discuss the importance of the confessionalist system in perpetuating the corruption and dependency structures that have hollowed out the Lebanese state, the role of foreign actors, and what the country might face in the future.

    45 min
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Almanac is a student-run initiative at the University of Oxford. Every two weeks, a number of students sit down for an in-depth discussion about the region which has made history for thousands of years and continues to make headlines today.

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